Have a garage sale and get rid of what you dont need first... omg... I just remembered I need to donate some stuff today.

I have no ceiling in my garage so I put huge containers up there with unneeded stuff in the rafters and labeled it. But really I am of the mindset that if you dont use it you dont need it and its clutter. They make all sorts of shelving and hanging systems if you want to invest in it. I re-organize my shelves all the time based on when i use most and what I can lift and then label it all clearly.

designideas4me, do you have any particular favorite organizing tips or items. Is there something you discovered that you wish you'd known the first time around? I'm already well into the process of getting rid of everything I don't really need or want. I'm of the same mindset you are :)

My garage has a small attic above it, but it has pull-down stairs. Those give me the creeps so I won't be storing anything up there.

Most of my things are in well-labeled cardboard boxes. I'm on the lookout for clear plastic storage boxes at garage sales. I prefer being able to see what's in each box.

yes was about to say that clear concainers with easy remove lids are best for me. Detailed labels. I have then in my house as well. I built a closet in the hall with shelves and it has a shelf for health care items.. so if my son says .. where are the razors.. I say.. look in the closet.its all labeled in clear easy lift top containers. If my mother says..I need a battery. I know to go to the shelf with electronics and see them in the box. If I need stamps for bills again I have a shelf with bill info in files etc. I have everything so well organized sometimes that I cant find a thing.. LOL.

It also allows me to know when i go shopping what I am low on so I stock up ( shop at costco) Better to have more of what you do need on hand. I have found that good organization is the key to my chaos and insanity. Joking. But I am also a bit compulsive about always putting things back in its place. the boxes can get messy and I like to go thru them at times. Throw out old meds or unused whatever that I dont need. I am always re organizing for better placement and better groupings. I could do it for a living.But in some respects it saves time and energy. if I had a huge family or little kids it would really help. I think you it would help a teacher or self employed person or anyone who needs to multi task and is in a fast paced job. I can not function when my envoronment is disorganized yet piles do collet at times but I try to be sure to go thru it weekly if not daily.

On a side note. My mother was more of a collector or horder and had issues with dimentia. I made her throw out or give away tons of stuff. I also got her room and things so organized but she still had memory issues to find things, However I think what I did was good for her and older people who forget. In my mothers case she forgets where she put her glasses when on her head..lol

I suppose you could say being a little o.c.d. may be in my favor but I am sure any woman managing a household or a major company knows that organization is key to success. I sound like I am running for office now..

eztia, thanks! All good suggestions from you.

while your garage is still empty, you might want to consider using the epoxy paint systems to paint the garage floor, you will never regret how easy it makes to sweep out your garage after and how clean and organized it makes the garage look. We've used the system twice, once on a one car garage and once in a two car garage. The hardest part is cleaning out the garage and you already have that part done!
You simply "etch" the floor first. This step was mixing the etching/bonding liquid in a watering can, sprinkle it on the floor, scrub with those long handled brushes and rinse. Let dry overnight. step two, paint and sprinkle on flakes let dry overnight. step three (optional) clear coat with a gritty additive so it's not slippery. each step tok us 2 hours or less.

You neighbors will be envious, trust me. Check out quikcrete brand online, lots of youtube videos as well.

Judy, great idea. I'll look into that. You said you did the 2-car garage twice. How long did it last before you had to do it again?

I like the floor idea suggested by Judy M. That can add value to your property. There are lots of videos online to show how it is done.

While you have the empty garage, consider painting the WHOLE thing with white primer. If someplace needs a touch-up later, primer is primer. No color matching, AND it is very bright in a garage space which does not usually have bright lights.

we did a one car vacation home first, loved it so much we did it this fall at our primary home that is a 2 car garage, we have NOT had to repeat the process. That why you use the epoxy system, it does not flake off like concrete paint will. You mix the epoxy about 1/2 hour before you start so the two agents have a chemical reaction that creates the "bonding". We used a color called Lazy River the first time (check the color chart) and for 2 car garage we used Midnight blue. I like the first color but wished I had gone with a beige/tan color on second project. But overall, we are thrilled with the floor.

we had many years of accumulated junk in the garage ( we were still able to park 2 cars, tho) and it took several weekends and about 5 dump runs. we bought beautiful mobile garage cabinets to store items we decided to keep. My husband also painted the garage ceiling and walls. The garage looks so clean now. Totally worth the effort.

eztia, again another great idea idea from you. I had been thinking of painting the garage white anyway, and primer will be great.

Judy, I misread the first time. Glad to know it hasn't needed to be redone.

The weather is cold and icky now, so probably not the best time of year for this project. But I will keep it in mind for spring. Thinking about taking it all out and painting will hopefully keep me from putting too much in there in the first place!

I have a small covered concrete patio also. I may paint that too!

Definitely read the directions, there are temperature and humidity guidelines to follow when applying epoxy. Good luck with your project and congrats on your new home.

Put hooks or nails for brooms, mops, car window squeegee and dustpans near the door. It's easy to drill holes in wood handles and add a bit of sturdy leather shoestring to hang them up.

I agree that painting the whole thing white will pay off long term. Even if the walls aren't finished, it is really a tremendous improvement to be able to see into the corners.

Add good lighting.

Add really good door mats by the door leading inside.

Judy do you have any pics of your garage and does the epoxy get tire marks. I am about to get polished stained concrete in my house. I tried the behr system inside my house and it didnt work can it be done on interior concrete as well?

Here's a photo, check out the quickrete web site, I'm sure they have photos and design ideas.
We do not have tire marks yet, just finished it this fall. Our garage gets daily use, hope it holds up in our New England weather. Oh and we did the optional clear coat on top to further protect it.

Thanks all for your continued suggestions.

applepie, adding more lighting is a great idea. One bare light bulb is so sad and lonely out there.

So far I've decided to paint the walls white, do the flooring like Judy did (thanks for adding those pictures, it looks fantastic!), and add more lights.

I'll also make sure I have a way to hang things on the walls so it will be easy to sweep out the garage and keep it free of stray leaves, dirt, bugs, etc.

Something I wish I'd done earlier: Don't put anything on the floor that can be damaged by water. That includes cardboard boxes and wooden anything. Metal shelving and wall-mounted shelves are much, much better than putting stuff on the floor.

Also, make sure you have grounded electrical outlets in the garage at convenient places. You can add a couple of power strips if you don't have enough outlets.

Instead of one bare light bulb, I would put in a workshop type fluorescent fixture, the kind with four 48-inch long standard fluorescent bulbs. Worth the $50.

wow the garage can get expensive.. Its like a big room in itself. Mine is 500 sq feet and a little smaller than the apartment I cant believe I lived in for 8 years before this. Its so hard to keep clean. If I do the stained concrete in my house I have to put all my furniture in the garage and was wonding if anyone had idea besides using lots of plastic to wrap and maybe even plastic on the floor to keep stuff as clean as possible. It will be in there for about a week. Another note to add is that if you have back pain like I do. Put things at a good height and in easy to lift smaller containers.

designideas4me, I would put plastic drop cloths on the floor before moving furniture in there. Then cover anything upholstered with sheets to keep dust and other crud from settling. I have a sofa in my garage now, waiting for my place to be ready for furniture. The sofa is covered in sheets. If you get bugs or critters in your garage, talk to someone at a hardware store about how to keep them out of your furniture and boxes. There are sonic-mouse-deterrents. I have no idea if they actually work. Make sure you don't put any food in your garage, that's just asking for mice and squirrels to come in. If you're moving your fridge into the garage while you have the floor done, you can keep food in there, even things that doesn't need to be in the fridge...like cereal.

JudyM, does the quikcrete go on like paint? Do you think it would be possible to do a design of some sort, or is it too runny? I kind of like the idea of using one color in the "storage" area, and another color in the "car" area.

good point about the food and mice. So yes I am putting the refrig in there and its packed already with food and I do have a pantry full of food too and dog food which wont fit in the refrig. Maybe I just need to put it in sealed containers. It will only be 5 to 7 days. I did have mice at one time and have traps in there now but have not seen any in a year..thank god. Thanks for you suggestions.

Mice and squirrels and probably other animals will eat right through plastic containers. Of course, you're only redoing the floors, so you could keep food in your kitchen cabinets as usual. How soon are you doing your new floors? What's the weather like where you live?

You might want to consider wire racks with wheels. The shelves are adjustable, they can hold a lot of weight and they are movable. Costco and Sam's both carry them and they seem to have the best prices. Sam's also has a corner unit. We have used them in our garage, in our pantry and in our workshop.

weather is great. 70s and 80s. Its going to be a big dusty mess inside the house. I do plan to put plasic over a few things and leave them so maybe I could leave the food in the cabinets. I guess I will ask him what he suggests.

thanks awty :)

designideas4me, can you use painters tape to keep your kitchen drawers and cabinets closed and "air tight"? Go all the way around each drawer/door. Seems like it would keep the dust out, and be easy to remove a week later. Are you moving out while the floors are being done? Make sure you show up often to make sure everything is going as planned.